Method of flowing gas wells



April 17, 1928.

G. C. HENCEROTH METHOD OF FLOWING GAS WELLS Filed Oct. 28', 1922 IN VE N T 0/? fieaxye flie/lwmf/l B Y g A TTZJRNEY Patented Apr. 17, 1928 UNITED STATES 1,666,779 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE C. HENCEBOTE, 01' KANSAS.

METHOD OF BLOWING GAS WELLS.

Application filed October 28, 1922. Serial in. 591,559.

' This invention relates to a method of flowing gas wells and has for its object utilization of the pressureof gas accumulated within the well to elevate the water which would otherwise drown the well, so

that the water and gas are delivered togetherfrom the top of the well, where the gas may be separated from the water.

Natural gas may be encountered at various depths in different localities in porous rock or sand formation underlying a roof structure impervious to the passage of gas and which serves to trap the gas'and prevent its rising through crevices or porous ing, so that there is a delivery of both gas and liquid to the surface. At a depth of 1,000 feet, however, a vertical column of water produces a pressure of 450 lbs. tothesquare inch at the bottom of the well. Pressure of the gas averages about 300 lbs. to the square inch; consequently the weight of the water overcomes the pressure of the gas and it is impossible for the gas to rise,.and the wellis drowned.

My invention contemplates application of the gas pressure in a boosting operation whereby the pressure is built up at various elevations in the well, so that the column of. fluid comprising the gas and liquid will be broken at difierent elevations in the well and pressure built up in these separate sections by successive surges of the gas and the fluid stepped upwardly as the combined pressure of the trapped gas and the gas suplied at successive surges becomes suflicient to lift the column sections step by step until reaching the top of the well, where the fluid. is delivered and the gas separated from the liquid.

In practicing this method I employ appa ratus exemplified by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 is a sectional view of an oil well in which my method may be employed, particularly illustrating the conveyor pipe on which the trap valves for separating the liquid columns into sections are indicated,

and also illustrating a. drip tank wherein the gas may be separated from the liquid.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, longitudinal section of a trap valve coupling for connecting the'sections of. the well pipe.

The well comprises a casing IV of ordinary construction and which, may consist of '6-1nch tub1ng.

The inner casing 2 as illus trated represents about a two inch tubing and 3 designates a pipe which is illustrated as about one inch tubing. 7

The casing 1 extends down to about bed rock 4. The inner casing 2 extends into the porous rock for a suitable depth and it is provided near its bottom with a plurality of perforations or "slots 5 to form a cage through which the water and gas may enter the lower tubular portion 6, surrounding the lower end 7 of the pipe 3.

The pipe consists of a plurality of sections connected by couplings 8. Each coupling has its opposite ends threaded, as at 9 and 10 Intermediate the ends of each coupling 8 is a shoulder 11, carrying a ring-shaped valve seat 12 of relatively hard metal, the upper edge 13 of the valve seat receiving a ball valve 14, which may play in the valve cage 15 above the seat; the upward movement of the valve being limited by the cross bar or pin 16, which may be driven through the member 8 and riveted at its ends as shown.

'The coupling 8 conforms generically to the standard type of coupling and any number of these couplings may be used for connecting adjacent sections of. the pipe 3. It will not under allconditions be necessary to use a valve coupling for each pair' of aligning pipe sections although where expedient this practice may be followed.

When the parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 1 and the water and gas pass into the lower portion 6 of the casing or tubing 2, the accumulated pressure of the gas .will cause the water to rise above the lowest coupling 8, the height that the water rises within the pipe 3 depending, of course, upon the pressure created by the gas. One or. more valves 14 may be caused to unseat if the pressure isgreat enough but just as soon as the pressure is expended the valves will move back on their seats and trap the elevated liquid as wellas the gas which is passed above thevalves.

The action of the valves will then be intermittent because they will rise only while the pressure from the gas is gi'eat enough to unseat them and as each succeeding pressure impulseiis created by the gas, water and gas will continue miseating the upper valves until finally the and water reaches,

tions as to eliminate the liability of the well being drowned out; i

Likewise if'the device is placed in an oil Well in which gas is present, the gas may be utilized as the pumping force for elevatingthe oil, thus eliminating the necessity of employing a separate. pump or the usual derrick rigging.

Since the coupling 8 conforms generically to the standard coupling, it is obvious that it may be readily applied to the pipe sections in the usual way, having the dual function of coupling the pipe sections as well as trapping the liquid. .v

The device illustrated is simple in construction, easy'to manufacture and quite eflicient in operation. 1

Of course, it: is understood that the pipe 3 is provided wiithslots 15' through which the oil and gas may enter in order to reach the coupling. g

With the apparatus above described installed, and the lower end of the-pipe prujecting into a stratum containing gas and water or oil, both the liquid and gas areadmitted to the tubing and the pressure of the gas lifts 'theliquid until weight of the liquid overcomes pressure of the gas. This elevating action may raisethe column through one or more of the trap valves so that the column cannot-flow back when the pressure subsides. After the column has been initially lifted gas flows into the hole at the bot-- tom of the" tube until the pressure is built up. and a surge then occurs-which forces more liquid intocth'e tubing. As a quantity of gas has tionsof the tubing, pressure of this gas supplemented by the pressure of the gas surging through the tubin is suflicient to step the trapped sections 0% ward, s epp lower sections toward the top of the well and eventually carrying the column to the surface where the fluid is delivered into the drip tank where gas and liquid elements drawn oli separately. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

l. The method of flowing gas wells consisting of admitting gas and liquid to a tube at the bottom of a well whereby the liquid been trapped in each of the sec-.

the column of fluid u i being successive from we it may be separated and the.

is elevated in the tube by pressure of the gas, trapping the gas and liquid at stepped elevations in the tube to form a broken column of, the fluid with each trapped section of the column back-checked from the next lower section, and rccurrently achnitling charges of gas and water to the bottom of the tube under surge pressure of the gas, the incoming gas and the trapped gas combining at the successiveelevations to step the column of fluid to delivery at the top of the tube. s

2. The method of flowing gas wells consisting of admitting gas and liquid to a tube at the bottom of a well whereby the liquid is elevated in the tube by pressure of the gas, trapping the gas and liquid at stepped elevations in the tube to form a broken column of the fluid with each trapped section of the column back-checked from the next lower section, recurrently admitting charges of gas and water. to the bottom of the tube under surge pressure of the gas, the incoming gas and the trapped gas combining at the successive elevations to step the column of fluid to delivery at the top of the tube, and separating the gas from the liquid after delivery-of the fluid. p

p In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

GEQRGE C, HENCEROTH. 

